Fractal cascade as an alternative to inter-fluid turbulence

• US 5,938,333 A
• Filed: 10/04/1996
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amalgamated Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Amalgamated Research, Inc.
• Inventors: Kearney, Michael M.
• Primary Examiner(s): SOOHOO, TONY GLEN
• Application Number:
  US08/726,393
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 366/336, 366/337, 366/338, 366/339, 366/340, 366/349, 366/342, 366/174.1, 366/341, 366/183.1, 137/625.28, 137/599, 138/40, 138/42, 165/109.1, 165/159, 165/172, 165/296, 165/100, 165/102
• US Class Current: 366/336
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/00 Flow mixers; Mixers for falling materials, e.g. solid particles centrifugal mixers B04
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/41 Mixers of the fractal type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 366/03 Micromixers: variable geometry from the pathway influences mixing/agitation of non-laminar fluid flow

Abstract

An artificial eddy cascade structure, useful as a fluid input and/or fluid collection device with respect to a contained volume of fluid, is provided as a fractal construct of recursively smaller fluid conduits of recursively greater number, whose terminal points fill the contained volume with a high degree of density. The cascade structure functions as an alternative to, or avoidance of, the inter-fluid turbulence normally associated with fluid transport, mixing, distribution and collection operations.

Claims

1. A fluid scaling cascade of branching conduits, comprising:

a largest scale conduit at a first end of said fluid scaling cascade; and

a plurality of smallest scale conduits at a second end of said fluid scaling cascade;

said largest scale conduit being connected by successive divisions at corresponding successive branches to said smallest scale conduits;

said smallest scale conduits being of smaller diameter than said largest scale conduit;

whereby fluid flowing through the cascade from the large scale end to the small scale end of

the cascade is progressively scaled into smaller units of flow so that fluid flowing through the cascade from the large scale end to the small scale end of the cascade exits approximately homogeneously into a volume containing said fluid scaling cascade; and

said fluid scaling cascade is further characterized by fractal structure wherein an initiator conduit structure configuration is repeated on successively smaller scales through a plurality of descendent generations, wherein said initiator conduit structure includes;

an inlet in fluid communication with a hub; and

a plurality of first generation distribution conduits which radiate as spokes from said hub; and

said first generation distribution conduits each terminate in a pair of oppositely directed outlets, each of which is structurally connected in fluid communication to an inlet of a second generation conduit structure; and

said first generation distribution conduits define a cross with four approximately hydraulically equivalent spokes; and

said initiator conduit structure thereby includes eight outlets, said outlets being positioned, respectively, at the eight corners of an imaginary cube.

2. Apparatus comprising:

a vessel, defining a fluid-confining volume;

a fluid scaling cascade of branching conduits mounted within said vessel, said cascade including;

a largest scale conduit at a first, large scale, end of said cascade; and

a plurality of smallest scale conduits at a second, small scale, end of said cascade;

said largest scale conduit being connected by successive divisions at corresponding successive branches to said smallest scale conduits;

said smallest scale conduits being of smaller diameter than said largest scale conduit;

said cascade being structured and arranged within said volume such that;

fluid flowing through said cascade from said large scale end to said small scale end of said cascade is progressively scaled into smaller units of flow, eventually to exit from said small scale end approximately homogeneously into said volume; and

fluid flowing through said cascade from said small scale end to said large scale end of said cascade is progressively scaled into larger units of flow, whereby to collect fluid approximately homogeneously from said volume through said small scale end, eventually to exit from said large scale end, wherein;

said largest scale conduit is connected to said smallest scale conduits through a succession of conduits of decreasing scale corresponding to a plurality of descendent generations of progressively decreasing scale, wherein;

each generation of branching conduits is scaled to contain approximately the same volume of fluid as each other generation of conduits in said cascade, and said cascade including;

an initiator, constituting a first generation conduit structure, including an initiator inlet in open communication with a first generation set of distribution conduits, each of which terminates in one of a set of first generation outlets, said first generation inlet, communicating with a hub, and said first generation distribution conduits radiating as spokes from said hub; and

a plurality of descendent generations of conduit structures, the individual conduit structures of which are configured approximately the same as said initiator, wherein;

said first generation distribution conduits define a cross with four approximately hydraulically equivalent spokes; and

said initiator conduit structure thereby includes eight outlets, said outlets being positioned, respectively, at the eight corners of an imaginary cube.

3. An article of manufacture constructed for direct injection or withdrawal of a fluid in a space-filling distribution throughout a volume, comprising:

an initiator conduit structure, including an initiator inlet in open communication with a first generation set of distribution conduits, each of which terminates in open communication with one of a set of first generation outlets, said first generation outlets comprising a first population located on a first side of a first generation reference plane and a second population located on a second side of said first generation reference plane; and

a second generation set of conduit structures equal in number to the number of outlets in said set of first generation outlets, each of said second generation conduit structures including a second generation inlet in open communication between one of said first generation outlets and a second generation set of distribution conduits, each of which terminates in open communication with one of a set of second generation outlets;

said second generation outlets associated with each of said second generation structures comprising a first population located on a first side of a second generation reference plane, and a second population located on a second side of said second generation reference plane;

wherein said initiator conduit structure comprises a configuration characterized by geometry requiring a component of fluid flow in each of the 3 Cartesian coordinate directions; and

wherein said first generation set of distribution conduits lie in a unique plane oriented in space substantially perpendicular to the direction of fluid flow in said initiator inlet.

4. An article of manufacture according to claim 3, wherein the configuration of said second generation conduit structures is approximately the same, but to a reduced scale, as the configuration of said initiator conduit structure.

5. An article of manufacture according to claim 3, in combination with a vessel having an internal fluid-confining volume, said article of manufacture being positioned within said volume.

6. A combination according to claim 5, wherein:

said vessel includes a treatment zone constructed and arranged to contain a first fluid component; and

said article of manufacture is constructed and arranged to position outlets substantially equally spaced throughout said zone.

7. An article of manufacture according to claim 3, wherein:

said first generation inlet communicates with a hub, and said first generation distribution conduits radiate as spokes from said hub.

8. An article of manufacture according to claim 7, wherein the configuration of said second generation conduit structures is approximately the same, but to a reduced scale, as the configuration of said initiator conduit structure such that the second generation distribution conduits of each said second generation conduit structure radiates as a spoke from a central second generation hub which is in fluid flow communication with a said first generation outlet.

9. An article of manufacture according to claim 3, characterized by fractal structure wherein the geometric configuration of said initiator conduit structure is repeated on successively smaller scales through a plurality of generations.

10. An article of manufacture according to claim 9, wherein:

said first generation inlet communicates with a hub, and said first generation distribution conduits radiate as spokes from said hub.

11. An article of manufacture according to claim 10, wherein the second generation distribution conduits of each said second generation conduit structure radiates as a spoke from a central second generation hub which is in fluid flow communication with a said first generation outlet.

12. A fluid scaling cascade comprising:

a largest scale conduit at a first end of said cascade; and

a plurality of smallest scale conduits at a second end of said cascade;

said largest scale conduit being connected by successive divisions at corresponding successive branches to said smallest scale conduits;

said smallest scale conduits being of smaller diameter than said largest scale conduit;

whereby fluid flowing through the cascade from the large scale end to the small scale end of the cascade is progressively scaled into smaller units of flow;

so that fluid flowing through the cascade from the large scale end to the small scale end of the cascade exits in a space filling distribution into a volume containing said cascade wherein;

said cascade is characterized by fractal structure wherein an initiator conduit structure configuration is repeated on successively smaller scales through a plurality of descendent generations, and said initiator conduit structure comprises conduit paths oriented such that a component exists, for each of the 3 Cartesian coordinate axis directions, of some conduit path in combination through said initiator conduit structure.

13. A fluid scaling cascade according to claim 12, wherein:

said initiator conduit structure includes;

an inlet in fluid communication with a hub; and

a plurality of first generation distribution conduits which radiate as spokes from said hub.

14. A fluid scaling cascade according to claim 13, wherein said first generation distribution conduits each terminate in a pair of oppositely directed outlets, each of which is structurally connected in fluid communication to an inlet of a second generation conduit structure.

15. A fluid scaling cascade according to claim 14, wherein the path from said initiator inlet to any of said second generation outlets is substantially similar hydraulically.

16. A fluid scaling cascade of branching conduits comprising:

a largest scale conduit at a first end of said cascade; and

a plurality of smallest scale conduits at a second end of said cascade;

said largest scale conduit being connected by successive divisions at corresponding successive branches to said smallest scale conduits;

each of said divisions comprising a right angle intersection of a supply conduit with a plurality of distributor conduits;

said smallest scale conduits being of smaller diameter than said largest scale conduit;

whereby

fluid flowing through the cascade from the large scale end to the small scale end of the cascade is progressively scaled into smaller units of flow;

so that fluid flowing through the cascade from the large scale end to the small scale end of the cascade exits approximately homogeneously into a volume containing said cascade;

said fluid scaling cascade having an initiator conduit structure configuration repeated through a plurality of descendent generations, and characterized by fractal structure wherein an initiator conduit structure configuration is repeated on successively smaller scales through a plurality of descendent generations;

wherein;

said initiator conduit structure includes;

an inlet in fluid communication with a hub; and

a plurality of first generation distribution conduits which radiate as spokes from said hub;

wherein said first generation distribution conduits each terminate in a pair of oppositely directed outlets, each of which is structurally connected in fluid communication to an inlet of a second generation conduit structure; and

said first generation distribution conduits define a star with three approximately hydraulically equivalent spokes; and

said initiator conduit structure thereby includes six outlets, said outlets being positioned, respectively, at the six corners of an imaginary triangular block.

17. An article of manufacture comprising:

a vessel, defining a fluid-confining volume;

a fluid scaling cascade of branching conduits mounted within said vessel, said cascade including;

a largest scale conduit at a first, large scale, end of said cascade;

a plurality of smallest scale conduits at a second, small scale, end of said cascade;

said largest scale conduit being connected by successive divisions at corresponding successive branches to said smallest scale conduits;

said smallest scale conduits being of smaller diameter than said largest scale conduit;

said cascade being structured and arranged within said volume such that;

fluid flowing through said cascade from said large scale end to said small scale end of said cascade is progressively scaled into smaller units of flow, eventually to exit from said small scale end in a space filling distribution into said volume; and

fluid flowing through said cascade from said small scale end to said large scale end of said cascade is progressively scaled into larger units of flow, whereby to collect fluid from a space filling distribution within said volume through said small scale end, eventually to exit from said large scale end,

said largest scale conduit is connected to said smallest scale conduits through a succession of conduits of decreasing scale corresponding to a plurality of descendent generations of progressively decreasing scale,

each generation of branching conduits is scaled to contain in summation approximately the same cross-section area as each other generation of conduits in said cascade, and

an initiator, constituting a first generation conduit structure, including an initiator inlet in open communication with a first generation set of distribution conduits, each of which terminates in one of a set of first generation outlets, said first generation inlet, communicating with a hub, and said first generation distribution conduits radiating as spokes from said hub; and

a plurality of descendent generations of conduit structures, the individual conduit structures of which are configured approximately the same as said initiator.